Defense lawyers in the sodomy trial of Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim sought to have the case thrown out, saying yesterday that his accuser’s story was tainted with lies and contradictory statements.
Anwar’s lawyer Karpal Singh argued that the specific charge against the opposition leader contradicts the alleged victim’s own testimony in court.
Anwar, a former deputy prime minister, is charged under a subsection of Malaysian law that outlaws consensual anal sex.
However, his accuser, 24-year-old former aide Saiful Bukhari Azlan, testified in court that Anwar sodomized him without his consent on June 26, 2008.
Singh said yesterday that the discrepancy indicates that Saiful has been inconsistent in his statements and has made up his story.
“If the evidence falls, it is the end of the case,” Singh told the court.
Sodomy, whether consensual or not, is a crime in this Muslim-majority nation and punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
Anwar and his supporters claim that the sodomy charge is part of a political conspiracy by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak to neutralize the opposition alliance, which made considerable gains in the March 2008 general elections. Saiful made the accusation less than four months later. If convicted, Anwar’s political career would almost certainly come to an end, destroying his aspirations to become the prime minister.
Saiful’s story is “not consistent, he’s not telling the truth,” Anwar, a 62-year-old married father of six, told reporters.
Defense lawyers demanded that police hand over a transcript of the statement Saiful recorded after he was allegedly sodomized while employed as Anwar’s political aide. Singh said that the transcript might show that Saiful originally said that he had consensual sex with Anwar.
He said that statement was most probably the reason why Anwar was charged with consensual sodomy even though he could have been charged under another section of the law that provides for a charge of nonconsensual sodomy, Singh said.
Saiful has maintained in court that he was an unwilling partner in the alleged crime in a condominium where he went to meet Anwar.
Saiful has given graphic description of the alleged act including the use of lubricant and vulgar language.
The prosecution has refused to submit the transcript of Saiful’s recorded statement, saying it is not obliged to do so. The judge will rule today if it should be submitted in court.
Singh said that if the transcript shows Saiful lied, his entire testimony would have to be deemed prejudiced and the case thrown out.
Saiful testified briefly yesterday to reiterate that he was under duress during the alleged sodomy.
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